India is the largest producer of chickpeas, also known as Bengal gram or chana. Chickpeas are a self-pollinated, annual herb that is high in protein. The leaves and pods contain malic acid and oxalic acid that give them a sour taste and potential medicinal uses. Chickpeas are grown mainly for their seeds, which are consumed in dishes like dhal and used to make snacks and sweets. Major producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The crop requires cool temperatures during vegetative growth and warmer weather during maturity. Pests like pod borers can significantly reduce yields and are managed through integrated practices including biological and chemical

1. CHICKPEA
(Cicer arietinum) Fabaceae
Vishal Meena

2. INTRODUCTION
• India is first in chickpea production.
• Also known as Gram, Bengal gram, chana, 2n = 16
• King of Pulses
• Self pollinated crop, C3
• Taste of leaf is sour due to the presence of Maleic Acid (94%) and Oxalic
Acid(6%), has medicinal value and used in preparation of vinegar
Uses:
▪ Boiled, roasted, steamed, sprouted, flour made into many delicious food
• Consumed as dhal, fresh gram (vegetable or for preparing variety of snacks,
sweets and condiments).
• Straw, husk and split beans (Bhusa) are useful as animal feed.
• Contains 17 to 21% protein, 4.5% fat, 61.0% carbohydrate
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3. Origin And Distribution
Origin:
• South west Asia, probably Afghanistan and/or Persia
Distribution:
India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Turkey.
In India- Bihar, Haryana, MP
, Maharastra, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP
• In India, area 8.17 mha with a production of 7.47 mt and a productivity of 895 kg ha-1
• Highest area in India is in Madhya Pradesh 3,085 thousand ha with production of 3,304
thousand tones and productivity of 1071 kg/ha
• India constitutes 38% area and 50% production of pulses & nearly 75% in acreage and
production
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4. Botany
• Short annual herb, attaining a height of less than 1 m.
• The plant surface including roots, stem, leaves and pods
are pubescent, covered with glandular and non-glandular
hairs.
• Stem: three types of branches—primary(thick),
secondary(bear the leaves and flowers) and tertiary(may
or may not be present)
• Leaves: compound leaves with 5–7 pairs of hairy leaflets
per leaf, oval or elliptic leaflets with serrated margins
• Roots: thick tap root, presence of nodules
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5. Botany
• Pods: 15–20 mm and may go up to 30 mm, 1-3
seed/pod
• Inflorescence: axillary raceme
• Flower: The flower are bisexual, typical
papilionaceous arrangement consisting 5 sepals, 5
petals, white flowers with blue, violet or pink veins.
• Seed: resembles a ram’s (Aries) head, hence the
name ‘arietinum’, size and colour may vary.
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6. Classification
Desi type Kabuli types
Smaller seeds Large, bold, attractive, more or less
rounded
Irregular, wrinkled, various colors Smooth, pale cream colour
(17 to 26g/100 seeds) (>26g /100g seeds)
constitutes 85% production constitutes 15% production
2n= 14, 16 2n= 16
Small, bushy plant Tall, erect plant
Higher yield Lesser yield
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7. Desi Kabuli Introgression
• Desi Kabuli introgression refers to the process of incorporating
traits from the Desi (small-seeded) chickpea variety into the Kabuli
(large-seeded) chickpea variety or vice versa through controlled
breeding.
• The objective is introducing desirable traits such as disease
resistance, drought tolerance, improved yield, and nutritional
quality .
• Example-
1) (kabuli x desi) x kabuli for improvement towards kabuli type
2) (kabuli x desi) x desi for improvement towards desi type.
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8. Soil & Climate:
Soil:
• Grown wide range of soil from sandy loam to clay loams.
• pH >8.5 is not suitable.
• Cannot grow in alkaline soil.
• Well drained, fertile, organic matter rich, good ventilation
Climate :
• Long day plant, prefers cool climate (19-230C) during vegetative and warm
temperature during maturity.
• Frost at flowering cause flower drop.
• Grows up to 1800 MSL and well distributed rainfall 800 mm
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9. Seed Rate, Spacing and Sowing
Seeds Rate :
• Kabuli: 80-100 kg ha-1,
• Desi: 60-75 kg ha-1.
Spacing :
• Desi: 30 x 10 cm
• Kabuli: 45 x 10 cm
• Depth: 6-8 cm
Sowing:
• Line (Plough sole, seed drill) at 30 cm for desi type & 45 cm for Kabuli type & 8-10
cm depth.
• Delayed sowing restricts the vegetative growth and pod bearing branches, decreases
BNF and may also lead to incidence of helicoverpa pests.
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10. Nutrient Management
FYM / Compost:
• 7.5 t ha-1 Bio-fertilizer: Rhizobium & PSB – 400 g each (seed treatment)
NPK (kg ha-1):
• Rainfed: 12.5:25:25 ; Irrigated: 25:50:50
• Pulses generally need less nitrogen as they have capacity to fix
atmospheric nitrogen through BNF
• But, pulses need more phosphorus for their better root proliferation and
sulphur for synthesizing sulphur containing amino acids
• The pulse crops may also need more of micronutrients like molybdenum
which is the integral part of constituent of nitrogenase, which is essential
for nitrification
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11. Seed Treatment in Pulses:
1.Seed treatment in legumes is commonly done using systemic fungicides
like thiram, captan, brassicol, and carbendazim at a rate of 2-3 g per kg of
seed.
2.The seed treatment should be performed at least 3 days before sowing.
3.Rhizobium culture is used in seed treatment to take advantage of its
capability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in root nodules through BNF
(biological nitrogen fixation).
4.Nitrogen fixation in legumes is influenced by the host plant, microsymbiont
(Rhizobium), soil properties, moisture, nutrient status, soil microflora, and
environmental factors.
5.Different legume species and even cultivars within a species can vary
significantly in nodulation, indicating the importance of host factors in
determining nodulation.
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12. Seed Treatment in Pulses:
1.Moisture stress and excessive moisture (waterlogging) negatively affect
Rhizobial population and BNF. Anoxia in waterlogged conditions leads to poor
BNF.
2.Deficiencies in essential plant nutrients, particularly phosphorus and
molybdenum, significantly decrease BNF. Molybdenum deficiency directly
influences BNF as it is an integral component of the nitrate reductase enzyme.
3.Increasing soluble salts and extreme soil pH levels reduce BNF. However,
Rhizobia generally exhibit higher tolerance to soil salinity and alkalinity
compared to host plants.
4.Commercially produced cultures of Bacillus polymixa and Bacillus megaterium
(PSB cultures) are available for inoculation. These cultures produce organic
acids that decrease soil pH, promoting the dissolution of insoluble
phosphates, which become available to plants.
5.Rhizobium and PSB cultures can be mixed together for seed treatment,
enhancing the potential benefits for legume crops.
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13. Cropping System
Chick pea in rotation with cereal crops help in controlling soil borne
diseases.
1.Kharif fallow-chick pea
2.Rice-Chick pea
3.Pearl millet-Chick pea
4.Sorghum-Chick pea
5.Maize-Chick pea
Intercropping with wheat, barley, mustard and linseed in low results in
low pod damage as compared to sole cropping.
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14. Water management
• Mostly grown as rainfed crop under residual moisture, doesn’t
require any irrigation.
Critical stages:
o Pre-flowering
o pod development
• Heavy irrigation is harmful, can’t withstand water logging & requires
proper drainage
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15. Weed management
Weeding:
• One hand weeding, Interculture operation, PPI of
Fluchloralin (1 kg per hectare in 800-1000 liters of water )
or pre-emergent application of Pendimethalin
Nipping:
• Removal of apical buds at 30-40 DAS to increase
branching and flowering
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16. Harvesting and Yield
Harvesting:
• Harvest when leaves turn reddish brown & start shedding either to
ground level with sickle or pluck by hand
• Allowed to dry, thresh through beating / trampling with bullocks and dry.
Yield:
• Rainfed: 8-10 q ha-1.
• Irrigated: 15-20 q ha-1
• Kabuli type: 25-30 q ha-1
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17. COLLECTION OF ACIDS FROM CHICK PEA CROP
• The leaves and pods of Bengal gram on the growing crop
are coated with thin film of Malic acid (90-96%) and oxalic
acid (4-9%).
✓ They are encrusted on leaves and pods and dissolved on
dew and settles on plants during winter season due to this
the plants give sour taste.
✓ These Acids are considered to have some medicinal
properties and they may be collected and stored.
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18. Procedure of Collection
• For collection of acids a thin clean piece of cloth like Muslin cloth is
spread over the crop during night.
• Acids are soaked in the cloths that are dissolved in dew during night.
• Now the cloth has been absorbed these acids and the cloth is
squeezed and thus acids are obtained.
• This process is to be repeated until all acids are collected.
• After the collection is over, allow the concentrate solution in sun to
evaporate and thus crystallization takes place.
• This crystallized acid is similar to the taste of vinegar.
• This is used for curing of indigestion and stomach complaints.
• About 4 – 4½ kg of acids may be obtained from 1 ha of crop.
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19. Varieties:
Desi type: BDN-9-3, Co-3, 4, Vishal, JJ-11 (Wilt & drought resistant)
1.Avrodhi: Grains are brown in color. This variety is resistant to wilt disease.
2.Gaurav: Grains are bold and brownish yellow in color. It’s moderately resistant
to rust and blight diseases.
3.Haryana Chana-1: Plants are dwarf with light green leaves. Grains are bright
yellow in color. It is resistant to wilt disease and tolerant to pod borer.
4.Gora Hisari: Grains are bold and light brown in color with good cooking quality.
This variety is suitable for irrigated areas only.
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20. Varieties:
Kabuli type: KAK-2, C-104, L-550, L-144, HC-3, Pusa-1003.
1.L-144: It is a tall and quick growing in irrigated areas of Haryana and
Punjab. Seeds are whitish-orange.
2.Pusa-1003: This variety is suitable for growing in irrigated
conditions. This variety is resistant to wilt.
3.Pusa-1053: This variety is suitable for timely planting in irrigated
conditions. It is essential to wilt disease.
4.Sadabahar: Grains are green in color. It is tolerant to wilt.
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21. Pest and diseases 20

22. Diseases
Sclerotinia Blight
• It is caused by a fungus Scleritinia sclerotiorum.
• The disease affects all the plants except the
roots. The infection in the initial stage is visible
on the stem near the ground.
• The affected plants first become yellow, then
brown and ultimately dry out.
• On close observation, brown colored spots may
be seen on affected stem which later girdle it.
• White cottony growth of the fungus with hard,
black colored sclerotia may be seen on these
spots on the stem.
CONTROL MEASURES :
1. Grow disease resistant varieties like G-543,
Gaurav, Pusa-261 etc.
2. soil with a mixture of fungicides like Brassicol
and Captan at the rate of 10 kg per hectare.
Grey Mold
• This disease is caused by a fungus Botrytis
cinerea survives in the soil.
• Brown necrotic spots appear on twigs, petioles, leaves
and flowers of the plant on attaining full vegetative
growth.
• The branches and the stem also get affected parts. The
affected stem finally breaks and the plant dies.
CONTROL MEASURES :
1.Plant the crop late i.e. first fortnight of November.
2.Spray the crop with 0.2% carbendazim (Bavistin).
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23. Diseases
Rust
• This disease is caused by a fungus Uromyces
ciceris arietini.
• Small, round to oval, light or dark brown
pustules are formed on the under surface of the
leaves. The pustules later turn black.
• Afterwards, these pustules appear on upper
surface of leaves, petioles, twigs and pods.
• The affected leaves pre-maturely fall and
therefore the yield is considerably reduced.
CONTROL MEASURES :
1. With the appearance of first symptoms, spray
the crop with 0.2% Mancozeb 75 WP followed
by two more sprays at 10 days interval.
2. Plant only resistant varieties like Gaurav, etc..
Ascochyta Blight
• This disease is caused by Ascochyta rabi, a fungus which survives
on plant trash left in the soil.
• All the plant part except the root is affected.
• Small round, yellowish-brown spots are seen on the leaves .
• The spots also spread to petioles and branches where they are
elongated and become dark brown in color.
• The affected plants finally dry up.
CONTROL MEASURES:
1. Before planting treat the seed with fungicides like Thiram or
Carbendazim (Bavistin) at the rate of 2.5 g/kg of seed.
2. Plant resistant varieties/tolerant varieties like G-543, Pusa-256,
Gaurav, GNG-146, PBG-1 etc.
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24. Insect Pest
Cutworm
• Gram cutworm is a serious pest in low
lying areas where fields are cloddy.
• The larvae of this insect remain hidden
under these clods during the day time
and cause damage during the night.
• The caterpillars cut the plants at
ground level.
Control :
• Spray Quinalphos 25 EC @ 2ml/L
water or Profenophos 50EC @ 2ml/L
water.
Gram Pod Borer
• Causes damage up to 75 per cent reduction in yield.
• The caterpillar defoliates the tender leaves, makes
holes in the pods and feed upon the developing
grains.
Control :
• Spray insecticides like – Novaluron 10% EC @
750ml/haor Chlorpyriphos 20% EC @ 2500ml/ha.
• Erecting a T shaped wooden structure @ 35-40/ha
for insectivorous birds.
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25. Integrated pest management practices of
gram pod borer
1) Cultural management
• October sown crops generally escapes the attack of gram pod borer as
timely sown crop usually completes its podding much before the peak
activity of Helicoverpa.
• Avoid dense or closed planting
• Deep ploughing of field in summer season
• Use of sex pheromone trap (5 traps per ha)
• Intercropping with wheat, barley, mustard and linseed in low results in
low pod damage as compared to sole cropping.
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26. Integrated pest management practices of
gram pod borer
2) Biological control
• Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) has been found very effective for
the control of Helicoverpa and it uses at 250 larvae equivalent at an
interval of 10-12 days has given good control
Threshold – One larve per 5 or 10 plants at flowering/ poding stage
3) Chemical control
• Use of selective pesticides like Fenvelerate 0.01%, Chloropyriphos,
monocrorophos 0.04% is advised when pest crossed economic
threshold level.
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27. THANK YOU…